For the second time in as many MotoGP weekends, Johann Zarco bucked the pattern for tyre alternative and felt it backfired.
After choosing the medium moist rear tyre within the Sachsenring Dash – the place he dropped from the entrance row to seventh in opposition to the smooth rears of his rivals – the Frenchman once more went his personal means at Brno, this time in dry circumstances.
Zarco, who certified ninth, was the one rider to pick the smooth rear slick for Sunday’s grand prix.
The selection was primarily based on encouraging long-run efficiency in morning warm-up, when he posted aggressive instances on a 16-lap outdated smooth tyre.
Nonetheless, hotter race-day temperatures meant the gamble didn’t repay.
Nonetheless, the LCR Honda rider nonetheless set his finest lap of the race on the ultimate lap as he crossed the road in thirteenth.
“Robust race. It is a pity that I couldn’t get an excellent end result after an excellent Saturday,” mentioned Zarco, who was eighth on the smooth rear within the Dash.
“We did not need to go to the medium rear tyre as a result of we believed that the smooth can work, as a result of yesterday within the Dash it appeared fairly good and the consumption was not excessive.
“However simply in the present day was very popular and even my entrance tyre was not working so nicely, so I couldn’t get the benefit of the rear and after half race it started to be very, very troublesome.
“So it has been a improper alternative and I couldn’t do very nicely.”
Regardless of the frustration, Zarco heads into the summer season break eighth on the earth championship, and the one Honda rider within the prime 14.
“A minimum of I caught some factors, which was the primary factor, to conclude the primary half of the season, which is kind of optimistic, in eighth place,” he mentioned.
“I’ve additionally confirmed the highest ten purpose I introduced in the beginning of the yr many instances, with two distinctive outcomes; the first and 2nd locations, in France and England.”
Whereas a lot of his MotoGP rivals head right into a three-weekend summer season break, Zarco’s focus now shifts to the distinguished Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race, the place he’ll defend final yr’s victory for the HRC crew.
“I’ll have a four-day break in Osaka after which the week in Suzuka,” he mentioned.
Pramac’s Jack Miller will be a part of Zarco at Suzuka, competing for Yamaha.
